As I write this message our community is grieving the loss of one of our youngest students.

Our faculty and staff is committed to supporting the Demar family and all members of our community as we face this tragic loss together. Our counselors and school psychologists will continue their presence at Maple Glen Elementary School, and support is also available to students in each of our other schools. Please reach out to your school principal if you would like to discuss the need for support for your child or your family. I would also like to share with our families a list of community resources should you or your child need assistance that is beyond the scope of our schools. Please click HERE. Additionally, a list of self-care and coping strategies that are used by our counseling staff in working with our students is HERE.

Services for Jenna Demar will be held tomorrow and we anticipate that a school and District remembrance will occur with a tree planting later in the school year. Our school personnel will continue to be available to provide on-going support for our community members.

The District is preparing to enter the search process for a new principal for Fort Washington Elementary School. Stephanie Hultquist has accepted a principal position in her home school district of Pennsbury. While we are very sorry to lose an administrator of her caliber and experience we understand that this change will be beneficial for Mrs. Hultquist and her family, and we wish her well as she moves to this next stage of her career and her new professional opportunity. The District will engage in a comprehensive search and the position has been posted with a closing date of November 1. We are working to retain an interim principal while we complete a thorough search; we anticipate that an interim principal will be appointed and a transition date will be announced soon. It has been the practice of the School District of Upper Dublin to involve all stakeholders in a principal selection process. We have great faith in this process that has led to the hiring of outstanding education professionals in our school and District leadership positions.

A survey will be sent to Fort Washington parents and staff via email/e-notify within the next two weeks, to allow all stakeholders to share their perspective on the characteristics that should be sought in our next FWES principal.

Comprehensive planning for the District’s November 1, 2017 submission to the PA Department of Education has begun. Early this week a group of District and Township constituents collaboratively completed a self-assessment that reviewed our practices in the areas of curriculum & instruction, technology integration, facility usage, communication and finances. The results from that assessment will be utilized to guide work groups in developing the District’s next three year Comprehensive Plan. Information about the comprehensive planning process will be shared through Board of Directors Legislative and committee meetings during the school year.

The Board of Directors will hold their next Legislative Meeting on November 7, 2016, at 7:00 P.M. in the Cardinal Room at UDHS. All members of the community are encouraged to attend. Members of the public may access agenda and documents through the District website. Go to the Calendar and click on the meeting listed on the appropriate date. Agendas and materials will be available 48 hours before the meeting.

As always, I invite interested members of the Upper Dublin community to contact me with any questions or concerns you might have. I can be reached at 215 643-8802 or through dwheeler@udsd.org . Follow me on Twitter @UDSDSupt.